Scripture

“Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.” –Romans 4:4-5

Observation

God justifies an ungodly person who has faith in Him, not based on works for which we could boast. No one can ever claim that they deserve God’s salvation; rather, God chooses to justify on the basis of faith. Faith takes HUMILITY. Pride is the enemy of faith. Pride trusts in itself (its works). Humility trusts in God!

Application

Salvation is not earned–God owes us nothing. It is given on basis of faith. But so is spiritual growth. Our entire relationship with God is based on FAITH, not works. Our faith (and love) are to produce good works, but they are not the reason God gives us grace.

Prayer

Father, as I mature and serve you, there is a tendency to trust my good works and feel that you owe me a blessing. But that’s not true. You owe me nothing. All that I am is Your gift. And You choose to give me Your grace on the basis of faith.

Help me to always be aware of my dependence on You. Might I always walk in humble dependency on You. I know you saved me on the basis of faith in Christ–this is also how I will serve you.

I will not trust in my wisdom, my education, my money, or anything else. I will place all my trust in the Lord God! In You alone will I give glory.

Father, teach me deeper lessons of walking by faith. Do in and through me things I could never do on my own. Let me live a life that truly sparkles with the supernatural!

How awesome to live in a nation that has a national holiday designated to be a day of giving thanks to God! Sadly, that original purpose has been lost to many. Might it not be so with us!

I hope you get up a bit earlier than others tomorrow and allocate personal time to communicate to God how thankful you are for His many blessings. Before the parades are shown on TV, before the meal preparations, before all the fun of family being together, before someone turns on a football game — get some time with God!

Sing some hymns of thanksgiving to Him. Praise Him for His goodness! Thank Him for Jesus, your salvation, your family, your church, the Bible, your health, your finances, and your country. Not all of these may be perfect (except, of course, for Jesus, salvation and the Bible), but today is not a day for complaining.

Find things to thank God for and then do so. Verbalize your prayers! Don’t just pray silently in your heart. God loves it when we praise Him with our lips (Hebrews 13:15).

And, if I could be so bold, let me encourage you to make this a DAILY practice rather than only a once-a-year event. You can’t eat a turkey every day, but you can take time to praise our God for His goodness toward you. I’ve found that praise drives the devil away—he can’t stand to hear God’s Name being praised. I’ve found that praise lifts my attitude from destructive worry and discouragement, and I’ve found that praise reminds me of my victory in Christ and helps me walk in that reality.

Scripture

“No one is righteous–not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. All have turned aside; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.”–Romans 3:10-12

Observation

This is the indictment on all human beings. And yet, most humans cling to a belief that we are basically good and can live “a moral life.”

To be wise, righteous and good, we must seek God. Atheists often claim to be good, they just don’t believe in God. But seeking God is foundational to being good and wise.

People often tell me they are “moral” without needing God. Scripture doesn’t talk about being “moral.” It talks about being “righteous” and “holy.” These words have a godly indication whereas, to many people, morality can be determined by society or the individual. Using appropriate Biblical words is important.

Application

Very simple: I’ve accepted the reality of how God sees me–a sinner in most need of salvation. I must help others see the same thing and to grasp their dire situation without Christ.

Prayer

Father, You are holy and You, alone, are GOOD. We humans can be so proud that we think we are good as well. Indeed, You created us to be good and gave us a conscience so that we want to be good, but we all fall so short.

Help me to be bold enough to speak this truth. It’s difficult to rebuke someone and point out their true condition before You, but it’s necessary. It’s like a doctor who must deliver a bad diagnosis (i.e., “You have cancer”) before he can provide a solution. People must grasp the seriousness of their sinful condition before they will look to Jesus for salvation. Indeed, this is how we plow up the hard soil before sowing the Gospel seed.

Scripture

“Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true. As the Scriptures say about Him, “You will be proved right in what You say, and You will win Your case in court.” –Romans 3:4

Observation

God is truthful–ALWAYS. People are not. Satan is always a liar. People accuse God and judge God, but they will never prevail. God will always be proven to be good, just, righteous and faithful.

Application

I can and must TRUST God and His judgments. Wicked people accuse God every day, but their accusations are not true–they are based on lies. I can not/should not listen to them or allow them into my heart. I will build my life on Truth and not the lies of man.

Prayer

Father, I acknowledge You are good, righteous, just and truthful. Satan has fought You and accused You from the beginning of time. His primary weapon is to lie about Your character. The wicked of our day continue to do his bidding. Might I be steadfast in trusting Your character and never yield to accusations against You. I know You are trustworthy and will be vindicated in the end. And so I praise You and follow You.

Scripture

Observation

The writer of this Psalm LOVED God’s commandments and HATED the false ways. He had both emotions and so must we. If we don’t HATE error, do we really love truth?

Application

As a Christian and member of American culture, it is difficult to HATE something. We are taught not to judge others’ beliefs/ideas/teachings. Tolerance says we can disagree but not hate. I even once thought, as a very young Christian, that I shouldn’t hate the devil!

But I must hate the devil and his ways. Just like I would never want to ingest rat poison, I must reject the teachings that would poison my soul. I must see where false ideas lead and, in light of those consequences, HATE the destructive deception of sin. And, in a culture where “tolerance”has robbed us of moral courage, I must help other believers learn to “love righteousness” and “hate sin.”

Here are some “false ways” we must hate and battle against….

whatever undermines the Bible

whatever robs our Creator of His glory

sexual sin: porn, adultery, fornication, homosexuality

false religion/false theology

hypocrisy-especially among Christians

the love of money, power, reputation

Prayer

Father, I am in a spiritual battle. I love Your Truth-the positives it brings. But help me to see how destructive the false ways really are. Satan makes his deception so appealing, but it really isn’t. It’s poison to the soul. Let me not be passive toward Satan’s lies. Might I hate him and his ways with the same fervor that I love You and Your Truth.

Scripture

“He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers. But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who confess to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness.” –Romans 2:7-8

Observation

Salvation is a gift that cannot be earned by our good works. But this grace is given to people who sincerely desire to seek God and His approval. Those who reject the truth, and instead seek wickedness, are simply storing up God’s wrath for themselves. Obeying truth is contrasted with wickedness. These are always in opposition. Wicked people will oppose the truth. Why? Because the truth leads to righteousness–a place wicked people simply won’t go.

Agnostic/Atheists who “live for themselves” and define their own morality always think of themselves as good and moral. They aren’t. They reject the authority and honor of God. Their best hope of being good is to be SELF-righteous. This is nothing more than the arrogance of the Pharisees, and it certainly gives them no favor with God.

Application

These observations are vital spiritual principles that few people seem to grasp. My application: TEACH them clearly and accurately. Help the self-righteous of our day to realize the futility of trying to be “good” without being centered in Christ.

Prayer

Father, thank You for Your precious gift of eternal life. Might I live worthy of what You have given me by SEEKING the glory, honor and immortality You offer. And Father, I live in a world of, and encounter every day, those who refuse Your truth and establish themselves as the source of what it is good. I ask You to give me boldness and wisdom in how to help people fear You, to see the importance of having Your righteousness, and the folly of establishing their own “goodness.”

Scripture

So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies.” –Romans 1: 24 NLT

Observation

Sometimes God abandons people who choose to dishonor Him. What a terrible reality–to be abandoned by God. I don’t believe God gives up on the person, but He stops restraining them from sin, meaning their hearts become harder and harder.

The life of unrestrained sin not only hardens our heart, it leads to defiling and degrading our very bodies. Sin is not a good thing. Here, in referring to sexual sin, the scripture exposes that immorality is not liberation or, “a great time;” it is degrading and vile.

Application

This verse describes most of the people who oppose me on campus. They have been given over by God to their vile and shameful desires. Without the power of God to rescue them, they have no hope. They may hide behind intellectual arguments, but the real issue is their pride, and their future without God is hopeless.

Prayer

Father, thank You for delivering me from such a miserable life as those who You have given over to do shameful things. It’s only by Your grace that I am who I am. Give me compassion for lost souls who glory in their shame.

Give me boldness to confront them in ways that will awaken them to reality. Bring people to repentance–people far from You who are captured in degrading sins. Even do so, today, I pray!

Scripture

“I am under obligation both to Greeks and barbarians, both to the wise and foolish, so for my part I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.” -Romans 1:14-15

Observation

Paul was under obligation—he owed a debt and had responsibility to pay that debt. The obligation was to take the gospel to people. This was more than a privilege—it was an “obligation”— a debt, a duty. Something he owed to all men.

Later Paul uses the same word in Romans 8:13 “brothers you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do.”

Paul not only realized his duty, he was also “eager” (or willing) to preach.

Application

Do I grasp my RESPONSIBILITY to preach the gospel? Failing to do so would be akin to not paying back money I had borrowed. It’s not an option; it’s a duty. Fulfill my duty with eagerness. Enjoy preaching the gospel. But if I don’t FEEL like preaching, do it anyway. It is my obligation. I want no soul in hell to ever point a finger at me and say I didn’t fulfill my responsibility of telling them the gospel.

I often have Christians tell me, “I have to sin. I can’t help it.” I wish I would hear more say, “I have to witness!” We have no obligation to the flesh; our only obligation is to follow Jesus.

Prayer

Father, this is a really important mind-set I need to have, and one in which I am weak: I have a duty to preach the gospel. You have made me Your ambassador. You have saved my soul. You have called me and sent me. I must be faithful.

But I owe something to people as well. I have a debt to pay to THEM! Might I fulfill that debt as faithfully as if I owed them money I had borrowed. And might I fulfill this duty with eagerness—joy, delight, willingness. I love to preach Your good news, and most days, I find it enjoyable. But on those days when it is difficult and seems no one cares, might I remain faithful in my duty. And some day, if genuine persecution should arise, in the way Paul faced, might I continue in faithfully fulfilling my gospel obligation.

Scripture

“This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder.” – 2 Peter 3:1

Observation

Peter saw what he was to do was to stir up, awaken, arouse, render active. He especially wanted to do this because he realized his death was near. (2 Peter 1:13-14). He was not concerned with being original— only reminding them of what to expect. He didn’t mind telling them what they already knew.

Application

My ministry—and gifting—are to stir people up. Too often I worry about having something to say that no one has ever heard before. Don’t worry about this. Most people don’t need new information, they simply need to do what they already know.

Prayer

Father, you have given me so much truth. And You’ve given me the ability to communicate it with energy and enthusiasm. This is a precious gift, and one for which I will render account of how I’ve used it. Might I be faithful. Might I cultivate both the gifts and messages You’ve entrusted to me. And I ask for ever-increasing opportunities to stir up Your people to love and serve you!